-
The Maritime Industry Authority will keep pushing for reorganization that entails boosting manpower and adding satellite offices
-
An updated proposal with the Department of Budget and Management will cover creation of the new Negros Island Region and additional manpower to support the Magna Carta for Seafarers, signed into law in 2024
-
MARINA is eyeing a manpower complement of around 3,500, three times higher than its current 800 employees
The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) will keep pushing for reorganization that will entail boosting manpower and adding satellite offices to effectively implement projects, according to administrator Sonia Malaluan.
MARINA will resubmit an updated proposal with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) that will now cover the creation of the new Negros Island Region and additional manpower to support the Magna Carta for Seafarers, signed into law in 2024, Malaluan told media at the sidelines of a recent port inspection in Batangas.
READ: MARINA reorganization proposed
MARINA is seeking a manpower complement of around 3,500, three times more than its current 800 employees.
Additional regional and satellite/extension offices are eyed to enhance coverage and for offices to be closer to stakeholders.
Part of the proposal is to have separate offices for Regions 1, 2, 3, 4A, and 4B, and to institutionalize the National Capital Region (NCR) regional office.
Currently, MARINA’s regional offices 1 and 2 are located in La Union, hours away by land from Region 2 provinces.
Also ideal is a regional office for Region 3, which covers Bataan and Subic where a number of small boats, fishing vessels and tourist boats operate.
In addition, MARINA wants to have separate regional offices for Regions 4A and 4B as the current regional office 4 covers a number of islands.
Malaluan earlier said the reorganization will enable MARINA to effectively implement programs under the Maritime Industry Development Plan (MIDP) 2028 and boost its regulatory and supervisory functions. The MIDP, which was approved and adopted through Executive Order No. 55, aims to achieve a nationally-integrated and globally competitive Philippine maritime industry by 2028.
READ: Implementation of Maritime Industry Development Plan 2028 approved
Malaluan earlier said MARINA initially submitted its reorganization proposal to the DBM in 2021. The plan was returned following President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s pronouncement on the need to rightsize the bureaucracy.
DBM needed a new endorsement from DOTr, which earlier constituted an institutional strengthening committee to review the rightsizing of all attached agencies.
Malaluan said they are “optimistic”, with Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon’s support in helping MARINA with its proposal to DBM.
Moreover, Malaluan received commitment from the Philippine Coast Guard-Southern Tagalog that it will provide the number of unregistered boats/bancas.
Due to MARINA’s limited personnel and offices, Malaluan acknowledged they cannot register and monitor all boats and bancas in the country. With the help of PCG, which has the manpower to do so, Malaluan said they can gather data on unregistered boats/bancas and use the information in their proposal to DBM to better illustrate the maritime authority’s need for more personnel and satellite offices. – Roumina Pablo
